when NASAThe Juno orbiter swoops close satellites of jupiterwhich saw a pair of volcanic plumes eject material into spacesomething that has never been captured before by a robotic spacecraft.
Plume rises high above Jupiter’s moon Io third largest moon. It’s the most volcanically active world in the solar system, with astronomers believing hundreds of volcanoes spewing geysers dozens of miles high. The spacecraft took this snapshot in February on its last close trip Io The range is up to 2,400 miles.
The final hurrah did not disappoint. Scott Bolton, Juno’s principal investigator at the Southwest Research Institute, said scientists are just beginning to take a closer look at the data from the close encounter, revealing new information about the moon’s volcanic processes. a statement.
Scientists say another world in the solar system has oceans
The plumes seen along the edge of Io are either erupting from two vents of a giant volcano, or from two separate but cozy volcanoes.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Andrea Luck
Andrea Luck in Scotland processed the raw data to improve its clarity (shown above). The plumes visible along Io’s edge are either erupting from two vents of a giant volcano, or from two separate but cozy volcanoes.
Juno Always orbiting Jupiter More than seven years. During its primary mission, the spacecraft collected data about the gas giant’s atmosphere and interior. One of its discoveries was that Earth’s atmospheric weather layer extends far beyond the clouds.
Mix and match speed of light
After completing 35 orbits, the spacecraft turned to study the entire system around Jupiter, including its dust rings and many moons. This extended mission will last one year or until the spacecraft is retired. Juno will eventually burn up in Jupiter’s atmosphere as its orbit around the planet is eroded. Relax, though: NASA says there’s no risk of the orbiter hitting and contaminating Jupiter’s moons, some of which may be livable world.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Andrea Luck
The spacecraft has an instrument called Juno camera, designed to take close-up photos of Jupiter and captivate the public. The science team invited amateur astronomers to crunch the camera’s raw data and crowdsource what to focus on next.
JunoCam isn’t the only instrument giving scientists new insights into Io’s volcanoes. The Jupiter Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) has also been observing the moon in infrared light. Researchers just published a new paper Based on findings in the journal Italian Instruments Nature Communications Earth & Environment.
Galileo Galilei Discover Io 1610, but it took NASA centuries to Voyager 1 The spacecraft first spotted a volcanic eruption on it. With Juno’s help, scientists are beginning to understand the mechanisms driving this activity.
entire surface IoAbout the size of the moon, it is covered by a lake of molten silicate lava. The lakes are contained in crater-like features formed when volcanoes erupt and collapse, Alessandro Mura, the paper’s lead author, said in a statement.
Researchers believe the moon is filled with giant lava lakes in which magma rises and recedes. The lava crust breaks off the steep walls of the lake, forming a ring similar to a Hawaiian lava lake. The tall barrier may be what prevents magma from escaping Io’s surface.
But there’s another idea that can’t be ruled out: Magma could well up in the middle of the lake, spread out, and then form a crust that sinks along the lake’s edge, exposing molten rock.
